Sreenidhi Model

United Nations

2015

“Education is a human right imperative, a development imperative and a peace imperative. The global learning crisis violates human rights, undermines social cohesion, threatens stability and creates a lost generation that cannot join in the lives of their societies.”

-Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi (Nobel Peace Prize Winners, 2014)

Study Guide United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization

“Education of women, with Special Emphasis

on developing nations”

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A WORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Dear Delegates, It is indeed a great honour to welcome you to the United Nations Educational Social Cultural Organization of Sreenidhi Model United Nations 2015. To the veterans of MUN, we promise you a very enriching debate that you’ve never experienced before and to the newcomers, we are really excited to be a part of your maiden voyage. The following pages intend to guide you with the nuances of the agenda as well as the council. The guide chronologically touches upon all the different aspects that are relevant and will lead to fruitful debate in the council. It will provide you with a bird’s eye view of the gist of the issue. However, it has to be noted that the background guide only contains certain basic information which may form the basis for the debate and your research. You are the representative of your allotted country and it is our hope that you put in wholehearted efforts to research and comprehensively grasp all important facets of the diverse agenda. All the delegates should be prepared well in order to make the council’s direction and debate productive. After all, only then will you truly be able to represent your country in the best possible way. Our aim in the council would be to urge you, the delegates to put your best foot forward and take back an unforgettable experience. We encourage you to go beyond this background guide and delve into the extremities of the agenda to further enhance your knowledge of a burning global issue. This may be a fairly technical committee for the ones with no background on current crisis. We have tried our best to make the complicated terms very simple to understand For any further assistance feel free to contact us, preferably on Facebook. Research Ahoy! Regards, Suchit Reddy and Shreshth Bansal (Co-Chairs) Meghana Chilukuri (Vice-Chair)

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CONTENT

Part-1 (About the Committee)

United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization

A. About UNESCO. B. Founding Principles of the Organisation. C. The council’s mandate. D. Education: Policy and Planning

Part-2 (About the Agenda)

A. Right to Education B. Factors Affecting Female Education

C. Role of UN and UNESCO in areas of girl child Education including past

action taken by the Organisation. D. Situation in developing countries.

E. Case Studies: Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Federal Republic of

Nigeria.

Part-3 (Resolution and Research)

A. Questions to be addressed in the Resolution. B. Credible proofs (as source of information).

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Part1- About The Committee

A. ABOUT UNESCO

In 1945, UNESCO was created in order to respond to the firm belief of nations, forged

by two world wars in less than a generation, that political and economic agreements are

not enough to build a lasting peace. Peace must be established on the basis of

humanity’s moral and intellectual solidarity. UNESCO strives to build networks among nations that enable this kind of solidarity, by:

Mobilizing for education: so that every child, boy or girl, has access to quality

education as a fundamental human right and as a prerequisite for human

development.

Building intercultural understanding: through protection of heritage and support

for cultural diversity. UNESCO created the idea of World Heritage to protect sites

of outstanding universal value.

Pursuing scientific cooperation: such as early warning systems for tsunamis or

trans-boundary water management agreements, to strengthen ties between

nations and societies.

Protecting freedom of expression: an essential condition for democracy, development and human dignity.

B. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES

Since its creation in 1945, UNESCO’s mission has been to contribute to the building

of peace, poverty eradication, lasting development and intercultural dialogue, with

education as one of its principal activities to achieve this aim. The Organization is

committed to a holistic and humanistic vision of quality education worldwide, the

realization of everyone’s right to education, and the belief that education plays a

fundamental role in human, social and economic development. UNESCO’s

educational objectives are to support the achievement of Education for All (EFA); to

provide global and regional leadership in education; to strengthen education

systems worldwide from early childhood to the adult years; to respond to

contemporary global challenges through education.

As the only United Nations agency with a mandate to cover all aspects of education, UNESCO’s work encompasses educational development from pre-school through to

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higher education, including technical and vocational education and training, non-formal education and literacy.

The Organization focuses on increasing equity and access, improving quality, and

ensuring that education develops knowledge and skills in areas such as sustainable

development, HIV and AIDS, human rights and gender equality. UNESCO works with

governments and a wide range of partners to make education systems more

effective through policy change.

C. COUNCIL’S MANDATE

The mandate of the council is divided in various divisions which deal with specific

areas of expertise and keep the strong network of coordination and communication

among themselves.

Policy Advice

The Division provides policy advice to the senior management and the Programme

Sectors for mainstreaming gender in all UNESCO policies, strategies and

programmes. It also promotes gender parity and work-life balance in the

Secretariat.

Advocacy

The Division is responsible for raising awareness of the cross-cutting nature of

gender dimensions in social, economic, scientific, cultural and educational fields. In

line with this, one of the Division’s main objectives is to foster political commitment

to gender equality, as well as to monitor the implementation of one of two global

priorities of the Organization, gender equality, in all of UNESCO’s programmes.

Capacity Development

The Division supports capacity development within UNESCO and among Member

States, by developing holistic and multi-disciplinary approaches that would

contribute to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals. It

also conducts orientation and training programmes to increase the competence and

skills of staff in UNESCO headquarters and field offices to plan, implement and

monitor gender-responsive and gender-transformative initiatives.

Research

The Division conducts and coordinates cutting-edge policy and action research on

gender equality issues in selected areas pertaining to UNESCO’s fields of

competence. It provides expert policy advice to Member-States and relevant actors

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based on evidence and works to strengthen the research-policy linkages.

Partnerships

The Division develops and establishes partnerships with other UN bodies, INGOs,

regional bodies, IGOs, NGOs, private foundations and private sector partners that

support women’s empowerment and gender equality initiatives.

D. EDUCATION: POLICY AND PLANNING

The mandate of UNESCO encompasses the matter of education in a broad manner. It

covers policymaking, educational planning, educational management, curriculum

development and teacher training. Early childhood development, primary,

secondary and tertiary education, along with technical and vocational skills are the

areas upon which UNESCO aims to work. The strategy is to involve as much of the

population into this process, to ensure stabilized growth of the society. Such a broad

view is exactly what must be implemented in post-conflict and post-disaster

situations.

The system-wide UN reforms in the post-conflict and post-disaster response have

focused on broader mobilization during the "Early Recovery" phase. This means

going beyond the life-saving relief activities, towards the reactivation of public

service delivery. This is in line with UNESCO's mandate and capabilities.

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Part 2- About The Agenda

“Education of Women, With Special Emphasis on Developing Nations”

A. RIGHT TO EDUCATION:

“Education is a fundamental human right and essential for the exercise of all other human rights. It promotes individual freedom and empowerment and yields important development benefits. Yet millions of children and adults remain deprived of educational opportunities, many as a result of poverty. Normative instruments of the United Nations and UNESCO lay down international legal obligations for the right to education. These instruments promote and develop the right of every person to enjoy access to education of good quality, without discrimination or exclusion. These instruments bear witness to the great importance that Member States and the international community attach to normative action for realizing the right to education. It is for governments to fulfil their obligations both legal and political in regard to providing education for all of good quality and to implement and monitor more effectively education strategies. Education is a powerful tool by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and participate fully as citizens.” - UNESCO

B. FACTORS AFFECTING FEMALE EDUCATION:

Geographical:

The considerable spatial disparity, and in some cases incompleteness, of institutional provision (even at primary level) relates directly to difficulties of physical access which adversely affect girls more than boys; there is an overall and profound urban/rural dichotomy which favours towns and cities, especially in respect of secondary school (and especially single sex) provision for girls; patterns of transportation and migration affect educational provision and take up, again normally disadvantaging females and in some cases extreme physical difficulties, such as flooding and other hazards act in the same way.

Socio-Cultural:

A major deterrent to female take up and follow through of educational opportunities (even when these are available) is a near universal fundamental cultural bias in favour of males. The widespread operation of patriarchal systems of social organisation; of customary early marriage; of the incidence of early

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pregnancy (in and out of marriage); of heavier domestic and subsistence duties of females (especially in rural areas); a generally lower regard for the value of female life, all combine though differentially in each case, to adversely affect the participation of girls and women in formal education. To this list may be added problems of seclusion and security in some areas. Such long standing constraints result in a dearth of female role models that could challenge the traditional one that is clearly acquired by both sexes at a very early age.

Health:

In general the effect of poverty and malnutrition on the health of school age children falls harder on girls than boys. Boys may get preferential feeding, while girls (who have a heavier domestic work load) are more likely to be undernourished. Even if they get to school, this adversely affects their performance and therefore retention rate. Health problems associated with pregnancy, especially for adolescent girls, obviously have a negative effect, as do rising trends of sexual activity in the younger generations where these occur. Problems associated with family size and family planning are widespread in relation to possible participation in education and imply the need for sex/health education at school level. Itis clear that the health factor, though partly hidden and indirect in effect is a very significant one in respect of the quality of (young) female participation in education as well as the quantity of it.

Economic:

Together with the fundamental socio-cultural bias in favour of males, the economic factor, especially in terms of grinding poverty and hunger, is probably the most influential in adversely affecting female participation in education, especially in rural areas. In such harsh economic circumstances, both direct and hidden costs to a family of sending daughters to school are perceived by parents to be prohibitive in terms of the provision of books, paper and uniforms/clothing (important for social reasons) as well as the loss of vital help at home and on the land. In most cases the contribution of females is unpaid and they may have little or no experience of the handling of money which further reduces their status and power, but increases their vulnerability. Because of the patriarchal predominance, investment in a girl's schooling is wasteful since it benefits the family into which a girl marries rather than her own. In the more privileged classes investment in the education of females may be an advantage in 'marrying well'. This further increases the urban/rural gap. Vocational education which might relate to employment prospects, is everywhere weak and under-valued, but especially so in respect of the interests of girls. The apparent inability of some countries to resource their schools and even to pay their teachers regularly leads to low morale, teacher absenteeism and parental disenchantment.

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Religious:

Although in general acting indirectly, the religious factor is on balance a positive one, though it is often overcome by the fundamental socio-cultural bias in favour of males. The fact that most religious practitioners and leaders are male makes for a powerful image in favour of that sex, and it would be a very helpful move if religious leaders of all faiths and denominations were to speak out strongly in support of the female cause. Christian missions have, in various areas, had a most positive effect on female education and literacy levels, though some have a legacy of harsh sanctions in respect of early pregnancy. In Islamic areas the situation is generally not so supportive but a number of positive trends were apparent. The religious significance of sons in the Hindu family, while still operative, no longer seems in itself to disadvantage daughters. Often in contrast to the state system, and especially- at secondary level, denominational schools are well organised and resourced, attracting stable, well qualified staff. This weighs heavily with parents when deciding whether or not to send their daughters to schools; especially since boarding facilities tend to be more favourable and secure.

Legal:

Again this factor acts mainly indirectly. Most countries have now legislated for equal status in respect of sex, but this is usually a recent innovation and traditional sanctions often still operate unchallenged. So there are still important areas where the law could be reformed further to encourage compliance and the system of justice strengthened to ensure that this actually happens. In many rural areas long standing societal rules constraining females are still operative, as is the case with condoning early marriage. The acquisition of minimum legal knowledge and supporting such areas as: gaming justice and compensation for assault; understanding letters and contracts; arguing for educational provision according to the law, and challenging disadvantageous

pressures in respect of marriage, divorce and inheritance could be very helpful to the female cause. There must be concern over the legality of the employment of (young) children, particularly girls, and the dominance of males in the legal profession. The encouragement and support for more females to seek and develop careers in various areas of this profession could be a very significant development in respect of female participation in education.

Political/Administrative:

Although policies exist in most cases for such developments as universal primary education, equal educational opportunities in terms of gender and the eradication of gender bias from texts and other materials, the political will to carry these through seems to be weak in the face of severe economic constraint. The creation of Ministries or Bureaux of Women’s' Affairs appears to be counterproductive, and the poor quality of local administrative/advisory staff and resources renders such government initiatives as do occur, relatively ineffective. The record of NGOs is markedly better, and those governments that enable NGOs to operate in favour of increased female participation are to be

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commended. In some cases where strong political dichotomies or other such disparities exist even elite females may be disadvantaged by being in the 'wrong camp, and their potential contribution to national development and the role of females in general to that end may be lost. Language policies can adversely affect female participation in that where vernaculars have no status, and schooling is either absent or very poor, women and girls remain 'trapped'. As with the churches, political leaders are almost always male, and until considerably more women break into the most influential echelons of power, the question of low female participation in education and its implications for national development may well remain on the side-lines.

Educational:

This factor itself can be a deterrent to female participation in schooling. Difficulties of accessibility, lack of resources and low teacher quality and morale are widespread. In particular the lack of female primary teachers in rural areas is a real problem. Parents are, in some countries, very reluctant indeed to send daughters to school if there is no female teacher, and the facilities for the accommodation and security of such teachers are usually absent or inadequate. The organisation of schooling in terms of the daily and seasonal imperatives of local economies usually renders it dysfunctional, and the curriculum is often unattractive in instrumental terms. At secondary level, in addition to the lack of (accessible) places, problems of cost, direct and hidden are acute, and there is a considerable need for more single-sex (girls) schools, some with secure boarding facilities and scholarship schemes to enable participation. Vocational education is weak and schemes open to girls in this field are particularly useful. There is still a widespread problem of gender bias books and materials.

C. ROLE OF U.N AND UNESCO IN AREAS OF

GIRL CHILD EDUCATION

United Nations from the very onset of the issue has addressed Education as a universal undeniable human right which is imperative from the sustainable conducive development of Humans belonging to different spheres of Social Stratum. The following are instances by which the organisation has taken steps/measures to achieve gender equality at least in terms of education.

UNESCO is committed to promoting gender equality in and through education systems. The Organization also encourages mainstreaming gender equality issues in education at

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all levels (from early childhood to higher education), in all settings (from formal, non-formal and informal), and in all intervention areas (from planning infrastructure to training teachers). In particular,

UNESCO:

I. Promotes gender equality in national education laws, policies and plans.

II. Monitor progress and achievements, through the collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated education data and the monitoring of normative instruments related to gender equality.

III. Helps countries develop their educational planning capacities, as well

as train teachers, on gender-sensitive approaches.

IV. Advocates for girls’ and women’s education though innovative partnerships such as the Global Partnership for Girls and Women’s Education, “Better Life, Better Future.”

V. Seeks to expand girls’ and women’s access to learning opportunities, in both formal and non-formal education, through innovative approaches using Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

VI. Supports the development of gender-sensitive curricula and textbooks free from

discrimination,

VII. Helps countries address gender-based violence in educational settings as

obstacles to learning.

VIII. Collaborates with EFA partners for policy advocacy at global, regional and

national levels in support of girls and women’s education and gender equality, and in policy research to increase understanding on the various barriers to

advancing gender equality and to expand and strengthen our expertise and

knowledge base.

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UNICEF’s Role:

For too many girls, the basic human right to education is denied. In countries across the world, crippling poverty, long distances to school and social norms promoting gender inequality prevent girls from learning.

In response to this troubling reality, the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), a partnership of organizations dedicated to promoting girls’ education, was launched in 2000 at the World Education Forum in Dakar by then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

UNICEF is proud to be the lead agency and secretariat for UNGEI. Together with its partners, UNICEF is working hard to transcend barriers to girls’ education and narrow the gender gap in primary and secondary education.

The goal is to ensure that by 2015, all children are able to complete primary schooling, with girls and boys having equal access to free, quality education. The focus is on the countries and regions with the widest gender disparities in primary education – those places where simply being born female resigns so many children to a life of illiteracy and missed opportunities.

UNGEI works towards the removal of barriers to learning, such as school fees and other education costs and for access to education in emergency situations. It advocates for early childhood development and education for children of poor families, literacy and the empowerment of women and young people.

At the national level, UNGEI supports country-led development and seeks to influence decision-making and investments to ensure that gender equity guides national education policies, plans and programmes. UNGEI operates mainly through advocacy and technical support in designing, financing and implementing national education plans. It offers stakeholders – which include UN system agencies, governments, donor countries, non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector, communities and families – a platform for action and galvanizes their efforts to get girls into school.

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UNESCO

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova advocated for investment in girls’ education during a discussion with Australian private sector executives hosted by the CEO Institute in Sydney on 13 November 2014.

The CEO Institute provides support to the Malala Fund for Girls’ Right to Education, making it the first privately owned organization in Australia to have a partnership with UNESCO.

“This is the best and most strategic investment a company can make, one that carries enormous multiplier effects on the economy, health, social mobility, the environment and poverty alleviation,” said Ms Bokova. “Investing in education is a smart investment; one that is good for business and that boosts the morale of company employees.”

Ms Bokova informed the audience about UNESCO’s Global Partnership for Girls and Women’s Education, the Business Backs Education Global Campaign with GEMS Education, and the Framework for Business Engagement in Education. Drawing attention to attacks on education and the impact of conflict situations, especially on girls, Ms Bokova stated that the attribution of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize to Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi sends a message that “education is a human right imperative, a development imperative and a peace imperative. She also underlined that “the global learning crisis violates human rights, undermines social cohesion, threatens stability and creates a lost generation that cannot join in the lives of their societies. The quest for sustainable development requires new ways of working together, green skills, new types of jobs and a shift in mentalities. The private sector can be a true partner in driving alliances for innovation. ”The discussion focused on both obstacles and enablers: how to harness mobile technology for the empowerment of girls, how to change the attitudes of boys and men, and how to encourage and support women’s entrepreneurship.

Kenn Gunn, founder and Director of the Institute called upon more organizations to step up and partner with UNESCO and related the Institute’s initiative to launch a new scholarship scheme for women executives in response to the gender imbalance in leadership roles.

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D. SITUATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Most Affected Regions:

Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected area with over 32 million children of primary

school age remaining uneducated. Central and Eastern Asia, as well as the Pacific, are

also severely affected by this problem with more than 27 million uneducated children.

Additionally, these regions must also solve continuing problems of educational poverty

(a child in education for less than 4 years) and extreme educational poverty (a child in

education for less than 2 years).

Essentially this concerns Sub-Saharan Africa where more than half of children receive

an education for less than 4 years. In certain countries, such as Somalia and Burkina

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Faso, more than 50% of children receive an education for a period less than 2 years. The

lack of schooling and poor education has negative effects on the population and country.

The children leave school without having acquired the basics, which greatly impedes

the social and economic development of these countries.

Today, it is girls who have the least access to education. They make up more than 54%

of the non-schooled population in the world. This problem occurs most frequently in

Arab States, in central Asia and in Southern and Western Asia and is principally

explained by the cultural and traditional privileged treatment given to males. Girls are

destined to work in the family home, whereas boys are entitled to receive an education.

In sub-Saharan Africa, over 12 million girls are at risk of never receiving an education.

In Yemen, it is more than 80% of girls who will never have the opportunity to go to

school. Even more alarming, certain countries such as Afghanistan or Somalia make no

effort to reduce the gap between girls and boys with regard to education.

Conclusion:

Today, education remains an inaccessible right for millions of children around the world. More than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate and do not have the awareness necessary to improve both their living conditions and those of their children. More than half of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa, and more than 20 per cent in South and West Asia. Fifty-four per cent of the children who do not attend school are girls. Many boys and girls enrolled in school drop out early. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 56 per cent of children complete a full primary school education.

In 2010, 69 million young people of secondary school age (10 to 16 years) did not attend secondary school. Some 774 million young people (over 15 years of age) and adults cannot read or write, and almost two thirds of these are women. For socially disadvantaged groups access to education is especially difficult. Apart from girls and women and poor people, these groups include indigenous peoples, religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities and people with disabilities. People living in conflict regions are also at a severe disadvantage.

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E. CASE STUDY

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Situation

Pakistan is the country with the second highest number of children out of school,

according to UNESCO. Two-thirds (over 3 million) of these are girls. Compared to other

lower middle income countries, Pakistan has a low primary enrolment rate. Only 54% of

girls are enrolled in primary school, which drops to 30% for secondary school. The

figures for girls from rural areas are even worse (50% primary enrolment, 24%

secondary). These figures vary by region. Girls are also more likely than boys to drop

out of primary school, mainly owing to poverty. Although gender parity in education

improved from 2001 to 2011, the World Bank still reports a ratio of 79 girls to 100 boys

in primary and secondary schools (see figure 1). About 5% of children currently in

school attend Madrassas – Muslim religious seminaries. Islamic organisations have

expanded the scope of Madrassas to cover mainstream education. This has attracted the

interest of the government and some external agencies, since it could give girls

education otherwise denied. Two academics hold the view that improving state

education would be far better for advancing gender equality than concentrating on

Madrassas. UNESCO figures show that state spending on education decreased from 1999

to 2010, to just 2.3% of gross national product.

Causes of low enrolment figures

Poverty is an obvious adverse factor for girls' schooling. When large families can only

afford school for some of their children, daughters often lose out to sons. Other factors

hindering girls' education identified by researchers from the Pakistani Population

Council include: access and long distances to school (with dangers of sexual violence),

cultural constraints, early marriage and/or pregnancy, and lack of water and sanitation

in schools.

Taliban's effect on girls' education

During their brief rule over the Swat Valley, the Taliban destroyed more than 400 schools. More than half of these were girls' schools. They argued that women (and girls) should stay in the home. The European Parliament stated in a 2012 resolution that violent extremism in Pakistan continues to impede the rights of girls. Since the government regained control of the region in 2009, it has rebuilt most of these schools, but there is still high inequality: there are 717 primary schools for boys, but only 425 for girls. Talimand Khan, from a Pakistani think-tank, adds that along with the number of schools, the quality of education has to be improved, too; some Pakistani religious representatives stated in interviews that girls should not receive the same education as boys, but be prepared to become 'obedient' wives and mothers.

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Federal Republic of Nigeria

Situation

Over the last decade, Nigeria’s exponential growth in population has put immense

pressure on the country’s resources and on already overstretched public services and

infrastructure. With children under 15 years of age accounting for about 45 percent of

the country’s population, the burden on education and other sectors has become

overwhelming. Forty per cent of Nigerian children aged 6-11 do not attend any primary

school with the Northern region recording the lowest school attendance rate in the

country, particularly for girls. Despite a significant increase in net enrollment rates in

recent years, it is estimated that about 4.7 million children of primary school age are

still not in school.

Increased enrollment rates have also created challenges in ensuring quality education

and satisfactory learning achievement as resources are spread more thinly across a

growing number of students. It is not rare to see cases of 100 pupils per teacher or

students sitting under trees outside the school building because of the lack of

classrooms.

This situation is being addressed by current efforts of the Nigerian Government with

the implementation of the Basic Education scheme. The compulsory, free Universal

Basic Education (UBE) Act was passed into law in 2004 and represents the

Government’s strategy to fight illiteracy and extend basic education opportunities to all

children in the country.

However the number of schools, facilities and teachers available for basic education

remain inadequate for the eligible number of children and youths. This is more so in

urban areas where there is population pressure. Under these conditions, teaching and

learning cannot be effective; hence the outcomes are usually below expectation.

Another challenge in Nigeria is the issue of girls’ education. In the North particularly,

the gender gap remains particularly wide and the proportion of girls to boys in school

ranges from 1 girl to 2 boys to 1 to 3 in some States.

Many children do not attend school because their labour is needed to either help at home or to bring additional income into the family. Many families cannot afford the associated costs of sending their children to school such as uniforms and textbooks. For others, the distance to the nearest school is a major hindrance. Another cause of low enrolment, especially in the North, is cultural bias. Most parents do not send their

children, especially girls, to school and prefer to send them to Qur’anic schools rather than formal schools.

Even when children enroll in schools, many do not complete the primary cycle.

According to current data, 30% of pupils drop out of primary school and only 54%

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transit to Junior Secondary Schools. Reasons for this low completion rate include child

labour, economic hardship and early marriage for girls. In the last few years, especially

since the launching of the Universal Basic Education Act, much has been achieved in the

reconstruction of dilapidated school buildings and construction of new ones, supply of

desks and other needed furniture as well as the provision of toilet facilities.

However, the child friendly school concept, which UNICEF is advocating for, is not

comprehensively adopted by the various States in Nigeria. A majority of primary

schools, especially in rural areas, lack water, electricity and toilet facilities.

For example, on average, there is only one toilet for 600 pupils in the primary school

system. Despite political commitment to trying to reverse years of neglect in the

education sector and a significant increase of the Federal funding, investment in basic

education is still low compared to other Sub-Saharan countries.

For all these reasons, prospects of Nigeria achieving Education For All by 2015 remain frail.

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Part 3- Resolution and Research

A. QUESTIONS TO BE ADRESSED IN THE

RESOLUTION

Delegates, the Executive Board would like to make you all aware of the fact that

UNESCO is not a committee like UNGA or UNSC, where the debate is highly restricted by

Foreign Policy and Block Allegiance. The committee is a more research oriented and

solution centric simulation as you would have know by now after going through its

mandate.

The executive broad would like to mention few areas of the agenda which we would like to see the committee discuss,

1. MITIGATING THE NEGATIVE FACTORS AFFECTING FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION.

2. ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND QUALITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

3. ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF SAFETY AND CURBING VIOLENCE AT SITES OF

EDUCATION WITH SPECIAL REGARD TO FEMALES. 4. ADDRESS THE COMPLEX ISSUE OF RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL NORMS

AFFECTING FEMALE PARTICIPATION. 5. REVIEWING THE HIGH DROPOUT RATES OF STUDENTS IN COUNTIRES LIKE

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN.

6. ASSESSING THE OVERALL PROGRESS OF EDUCATING ALL THE FEMALES UNDER THE AMBITS OF THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS.

7. ISSUES OF THE RECENT TERROR ATTACK ON THE ARMY SCHOOL IN PAKISTAN

AND THE BOKO HARAM ILL EFFECTS ON FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN NIGERIA WILL BE UP FOR DISCUSSION TOO.

B. NATURE OF SOURCES/ EVIDENCE

This Background Guide is meant solely for research purposes and must not be cited as

evidence to substantiate statements made during the conference. Evidence or proof for

substantiating statements made during formal debate is acceptable from the following

sources-

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1. United Nations and related U.N Bodies Reports:

Documents/Reports/Journals from United Nations and its various bodies will be accepted as credible proof during the formal business of the house.

Example:

United Nations: www.un.org/en/

United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization: www.unesco.org/en

United Nations Children’s Rights & Emergency Relief Organization: www.unicef.org/

2. News Sources:

i. Reuters: Any Reuter’s article that clearly makes mention of the fact or is in contradiction of the fact being stated by a delegate in council. ii. State operated News Agencies: These reports can be used in the support of or against

the State that owns the News Agency. These reports, if credible or substantial enough,

can be used in support of or against any country as such but in that situation, may be

denied by any other country in the council. Some examples are – RIA Novosti8 (Russian

Federation), Islamic Republic New Agency9 (Iran), British Broadcasting Corporation10 (United Kingdom), Xinhua News Agency11 (People’s Republic of China), etc.

Reuters Website- http://www.reuters.com/

RIA Novosti Website- http://en.ria.ru/

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) Website- http://www.irna.ir/en/ British

Broadcasting Corporation (BBC News) Website- http://www.bbc.com/

Xinhua News Agency Website- http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

3. Government Reports:

These reports can be used in a similar way as the State Operated News Agencies reports

and can, in all circumstances, be denied by another country. However, a nuance is that a

report that is being denied by a certain country can still be accepted by the Executive Board

as a credible piece of information. Examples are Government Websites like- i. State Departments: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Ministry of External

Affairs of the Republic of India, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, etc.

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Examples:

Ministry of Defence (Russian Federation)- http://eng.mil.ru/

Ministry of External Affairs (Republic of India)- http://www.mea.gov.in/

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (French Republic)- http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/ ii. Permanent Representatives: Reports of the Permanent Representatives of nations to

multilateral organizations. For instance- Delegates may access the following link and

click on a country’s name to get the website of the Office of its Permanent Representative to the United Nations- http://www.un.org/en/members/

4. Multilateral Organizations

Documents from international organizations like the United Nations (UNO), North

Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN),

etc. Documentation from Treaty based bodies like the Antarctic Treaty System, or the

International Criminal Court may also be presented.

[Note- Under no circumstances will sources like Wikipedia, or newspapers like the

Guardian, Times of India etc. be accepted. However, notwithstanding the

aforementioned criteria for acceptance of sources and evidence, delegates are still free

to quote/cite from any source as they deem fit as a part of their statements.]

Happy Researching!

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